Ireland's London 2012 boxing team – and European champion Joe Ward – were slated to meet the French in Millstreet, Cork on May 3.

But sports agency Platinum One, who were promoting the Leeside match, have cancelled the international after the Irish Independent reported that Taylor had suffered a hand injury in sparring and would be out for four weeks.

Ireland coach Pete Taylor said that the match was about the entire Olympic team, and not just his daughter – the Olympic and World champion.

"Injuries happen all the time in all sports and unfortunately Katie injured her left hand. She was looking forward very much to boxing in Cork but she had no other choice but to withdraw because of the injury," he said.

"But the international was never intended to be just about Katie Taylor. This international was about letting the public see our entire Olympic team and our Elite boxers.

"Katie is very annoyed by the decision to cancel and I am also. We both feel it was disrespectful to the Irish team to cancel the international because of the injury and Katie also feels embarrassed because of the decision.

"The squad to meet France included John Joe Nevin, Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan. John, Paddy and Michael have won four Olympic medals between them from the last two Olympics. Darren O'Neill and Adam Nolan were also included in the squad. Joe Ward is the European champion and he was also due to fight in Cork.

"Cancelling the match because of an injury to Katie is disrespectful to some of the best boxers in the world and I'm raging about it.

"Our Elite team deserves better than that.

If the organisers were worried about ticket sales because of Katie's injury, the French match could easily have been run on a smaller scale, and that would have helped our Elite team get some competitive preparation for the Europeans."